The present invention relates generally to medical treatment systems and, more particularly, to systems and methods for controlling inflammatory response in a patient.
One type of inflammatory response is systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). SIRS has been defined as a severe systemic response to a condition (trauma, infection, burn, etc.) that provokes an acute inflammatory reaction indicated by the presence of two or more of a group of symptoms including abnormally increased or decreased body temperature, heart rate greater than 90 beats per minute, respiratory rate greater than 20 breaths per minute or a reduced concentration of carbon dioxide in the arterial blood, and the white blood cell count greatly decreased or increased or consisting of more than ten percent immature neutrophils. Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary (Springfield, Mo.: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2006), q.v., “Systemic inflammatory response syndrome.” SIRS is nonspecific and can be caused by ischemia, inflammation, trauma, infection, or a combination of several insults. Sepsis is a subcategory of SIRS that may be defined as the presence of SIRS in addition to a documented or presumed infection.
Irrespective of etiology, SIRS typically has the same pathophysiologic properties, with minor differences, in inciting inflammation or inflammatory cascade. The inflammatory cascade is a complex process that may involve humoral and cellular responses, complement, and cytokine cascades. It is believed that pro-inflammatory stimuli can interact directly with tissue to promote SIRS. Unchecked SIRS may lead to abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS), organ dysfunction, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), multiple organ failure (MOF), and death.
In many instances, if SIRS is severe enough, intervention becomes necessary. For example, if SIRS leads or begins to lead to ACS, surgical decompression may be utilized. Surgical decompression involves a laparotomy in which a surgeon forms an anterior, midline incision from the patient's sternum to near the pubic bone. The abdominal contents are then freed to expand beyond the abdominal cavity. This type of intervention is costly given the long hospital stay associated with such a procedure, the increased morbidity and mortality, and as a result the decision to intervene with a laparotomy is often delayed as long as possible because of the severity of the intervention.
It is desirable to control SIRS and other types of inflammatory response. Moreover, it is generally desirable to control inflammatory response as soon as possible and as cost effectively as possible.